Long-haired dogs and other hair-bearing animals tend to form mats in their hair if not regularly groomed. Matting usually increases toward the end of the cold season when their coats are the heaviest. The winter "wool" collects dirt, dander and oil from the animal's skin, and tangles with the longer hairs to produce the mat. Heretofore, this mat was difficult to remove, and involved cutting off the longer hair at the base, subjecting the animal to an uncomfortable ordeal of brushing with the familiar wire-bristled brush.
The patent to G. R. Oliver, U.S. Pat. No. 2961,966, addresses this problem and describes a tool for mat removal. This tool consists of a single knife with a replaceable blade to cut the mat and gradually effect its removal. Also Design D-206,527 shows a grooming comb.